NRL to clamp down on boot bandits following Ben Hunt incident in Origin I

Players who steal an opponent’s boot and toss it away will be automatically penalised and could face suspension following a crackdown on the practice.

PLAYERS who rip an opponent’s boot off before tossing it away will be automatically penalised and face the prospect of beingsuspended, via Sport Confidential.

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Players who rip an opponent’s boot off before tossing it away will be automatically penalised and face the prospect of being suspended.

Referees cracked down on the boot tossing this week in the wake of NSW coach Brad Fittler’s criticism of the ploy by Queensland’s Ben Hunt on Blues skipper Boyd Cordner in Origin I.

NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley confirmed he had spoken with Fittler and has vowed to stamp it out from the game.

“I’ve had a discussion with Brad Fittler about this matter and I know (referee’s boss) Bernie Sutton has also had a discussion with Brad,” Annesley said. “Bernie will be instructing the referees that players may be penalised if they deliberately throw away an opponent’s boot.

“Such action is contrary to the true spirit of the game and applies to instances where the referee believes a team or a player has been disadvantaged as a result.”

Hunt ripped Cordner’s boot off in Origin I. Picture by Adam Head.

Players also face the prospect of being it with a contrary conduct charge which could see them suspended if the tactic is deemed serious enough.

Fittler was filthy of the tactic.

“I spoke to the referees boss and he giggled and I said, ‘Well I’m going to now coach my players to do it’,” Fittler said on The Sunday Footy Show.

“And all of a sudden he went, ‘You know what, we need to do something about this. There needs to be something written in’.

“You just can’t have people slipping around on the field and you can’t have people throwing boots off into the crowd. Simple as that.”

MOSES GOES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Mitchell Moses said he learnt plenty from his previously public contract negotiations after quietly re-signing with the Eels this time around.

Moses’ deal was announced with little fanfare just over an hour before Parramatta’s loss to Cronulla last Saturday. The contract will see him remain at the Eels for at least three more years but it was a far cry from the protracted negotiations which saw him leave the Tigers for Parramatta midway through 2017.

“It’s good to know where my future is now,” Moses said. “I always wanted to stay. That was my intention the whole time. I’m just happy it got done. I’ve learnt how to handle it better from past situations. My management looked after me and the club looked after me.

Moses opted for quieter negotiations this time. AAP Image/Dean Lewins.

“It wasn’t a distraction. I handled it a lot better than I have in the past. I’m pretty comfortable. We have the squad here (to push for a premiership). We’ve shown it in performances. We need to be consistent but we’re not just doing that.”

Eels coach Brad Arthur was highly critical of his side following their 42-22 loss to the Sharks. He labelled them a “part-time” team.

“It does sting a bit what he has been saying to us,” Moses said. “Hopefully the boys take it personally. We are right in it, we have to string a few wins together. We can’t be tossing up performances like that. You score 22 points you should win the game.”

GRIFFIN LINKS UP WITH TONGA

Anthony Griffin will make his coaching return next week when he joins the Tongan camp. Griffin will work alongside Tongan coach Kristian Woolf in his first coaching gig since leaving the Panthers last year.

“I’ve got an association with Kristian,” Griffin said. “He was an assistant with me at the Broncos. He gave me a ring a couple of weeks ago to see if I’d be happy to come in and consult and give him a hand. This is the first time I’ve done anything with a team since (Penrith) so it’ll be good.

“I’ve been going through a lot of tape for him and having a look at their Test last year against Australia and New Zealand’s Test against Australia. They have a really strong side.”

MANSOUR RETURNS TO CEDARS

The last time Josh Mansour was on the same field as a Lebanese jersey he was relentlessly booed. Mansour though is expecting a much warmer welcome when he pulls on a Lebanon jersey for the first time since 2009 after deciding to play for the Cedars having lined up against them in the 2017 World Cup for Australia.

“I’m excited,” Mansour said. “It’s been a decade since I last played. My dad is really excited. To get the opportunity to represent your culture is a privilege. Playing against them in the world cup was weird.

“Looking at how the people got around the team and the players who played for the jersey, it was great to watch. Hopefully I’m getting embraced this time.”

Lebanon play Fiji at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night while Anthony Milford will captain Samoa against PNG as part of the double-header.

Mansour took on the Cedars in 2017. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images.

SPOTTED I

Retired 300-gamer Chris Heighington walking around with a knee brace for his ABC Grandstand radio commitments after tearing his meniscus while surfing.

SPOTTED II

Injured Newcastle hooker Slade Griffin acting as a trainer for their reserve grade team. It is part of his rehabilitation.

SPOTTED III

Wests Tigers five-eighth Josh Reynolds having brunch in Cronulla last Saturday.

SHOOSH

A cheerio to the high-profile athlete who asked not to be broadcast on Fox Sports last week with a young woman with whom he was watching a game

“I don’t want my other girlfriend to find out,” he said.

DRAGONS STILL LOOKING

While Jack de Belin is pressing on with his federal appeal against the NRL’s no-fault stand-down rule, the Dragons are still in the market to replace their star forward. An NRL spokesman confirmed de Belin’s latest legal battle won’t impact St George Illawarra’s decision to pursue a replacement for the rest of this season.

Finding a replacement though has become more problematic with Trent Merrin unable to come terms to join the club. Merrin would have to forfeit the final three years of his deal in England to make the switch.

PARRA COULD CHASE BURGESS AGAIN

With Matt Lodge close to extending his deal in Brisbane, the Parramatta Eels could rekindle their interest in South Sydney prop George Burgess.

The two parties had a deal almost across the line for this season but Burgess opted against joining Parramatta in a move which could cost him some cash.

The Eels are also looking at Melbourne’s Christian Welch. Newcastle’s Herman Ese’Ese could also be on the move despite reclaiming his spot in the top grade.

The Eels have Burgess in their sights. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images.

MORE BAD LUCK FOR LEWIS

Canterbury half Lachie Lewis can’t take a trick at the moment with an ankle injury suffered in reserve grade set to sideline him for up to six weeks.

HALL STILL FINDING HIS WAY

Ryan Hall is searching for his rhythm and a win. The Roosters recruit hasn’t tasted success in his two games since joining the club after a decorated stint with Leeds. The English international is starting to find his feet after a delayed start to his NRL career because of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament last year.

“I just wanted to fit into the team and not rock the boat,” Hall said. “Along the way I’ll add my influence regarding what I’ve learnt 12 years I’ve been playing so everyone can see what I’m about.

“(The injury has) been hard to deal with. I’ve never had a long-term injury. It just happened to be at a new club. Of course you worry. When you decide to up sticks and move over that’s a worry in yourself. Then three weeks later you do the worst thing you can do to your knee, it’s quite bad. A lot of thoughts go through your mind.

“I spoke to Robbo (Roosters coach Trent Robinson at the back end of last year and he calmed me down straight away, he said they’d look after me and I’d be good for them in the long run.”

Ponga is one of the game’s new stars. AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

KNIGHTS SEND EDICT TO PONGA

Kalyn Ponga’s sublime form for the Knights has many wondering why club officials have not already moved to extend his deal and the reason, it emerges, is Ponga is his own worst enemy.

Ponga has two more years to run on his contract, with an option for a third, but fans are already concerned Ponga could be poached with a big money offer, with overseas rugby clubs also a big possibility.

It makes Ponga the hottest player on the NRL market who is not actually on the NRL market.

Ponga was keen to extend but, bizarrely, was told he needs to raise his social media profile.

Under their new, more commercially minded management, the Knights understand the relationship between player and salary goes beyond his talents on the field, none of which is a problem for Ponga.

He is one of the game’s most sociable players and rarely says no when asked to promote the Knights at various charities and functions or to appear on Fox Sports.

He already has a massive social media following, with more than 240,000 followers on Instagram.

Sydney Swans star Buddy Franklin has 330,000 followers while the AFL’s other big name star, Dusty Martin, has 268,000, but the AFL has far more members than the NRL.

In comparison, Storm captain Cameron Smith has 196,000 followers.

Ponga’s willingness to promote the Knights has put him in a Catch-22. He invests so much time promoting the Knights _ naturally he is always the first player requested _ that he leaves little time to promote any potential personal third-party sponsors.

Knights boss Phil Gardener told Sport Confidential he expects Ponga “to be a Knights for as long as he plays rugby league”.

“He epitomises everything we want the Knights to be about,” he said.

“He is just a super young man, not just as a player but his character.”

Originally published as NRL to clamp down on boot bandits following Ben Hunt incident in Origin I